Is it legal???

[nangiggles]

For a boss to restrict the language their employees speak?

Example:
Today I was returning to the office with my husband from lunch and we were speaking in spanglish while entering the office, as soon as we passed entered the actual office we stopped, because we think it's rude even though some people speak Spanish, a co-worker heard us outside and said "speak in English" and chuckled, he actually speaks Spanish as well so I know he was joking, but it got me thinking, is it possible for an employer to restrict their workers in this sense? I can understand why they wouldnt like it and as I say I do NOT speak Spanish in the office but am curious on the subject.


Thoughts?

 

[shirlene29]

I cant imagine that wouldnt be descrimination

 

[uamaverick]

I don't think they can enforce it, but they can basically choose to not hire you if you aren't fluent in English and it's a service position where you'll be interacting with customers all day.

 

[WoodyO]

They can enforce communication, and English is a language most/all American employee's can communicate in. We see this issue in the shop a lot. There's always issues between the Mexican's, Vietnamese, etc bitching about not understanding what's going on around them.

 

[nangiggles]

I'm in a bilingual position anyway but when I went to a Walmart in Miami this bish at the register kept addressing me in Spanish even though I'd reply in English every time, made me wonder if she even knew English, then made me wonder if she speaks to coworkers in Spanish around those who dont know Spanish, I can see complaints being filed by paranoids, but not sure what restriction if any can be applied.

 

[uamaverick]

lol nigs that's funny about the wal-mart retard. She's racist against her own kind, I guess.

 

[SpyWizard]

actually they can... imagine if you will your appearance, would an employer be required to put a person that was not attractive as a receptionist, or sales person if they directly represent the company and it's image??

the courts have decided on yes the employer can.. It goes to the rights of the person vs the rights of the company to decide what "image" they need/want to project...

now, this does not apply to race, ethnic background...

and of course you can always go the "hostile work environment" direction.. but what that gets you depending on your field is black balled..

 

[shirlene29]

shows what I know!

 

[nangiggles]

lol nigs that's funny about the wal-mart retard. She's racist against her own kind, I guess.

I guess I'm kind of a bitch in the sense that I dont like to be addressed in Spanish if I'm talking to you in English, I was actually with my husband at the Levi's store in Orlando and we neeeded some help with something (finding a particular size) we proceed to ask someone and they said they would get us a Spanish speaking rep and we were like WTF why we didnt ask for one, we told them we didnt need one and they insisted, I called a mgr and ripped them a new one

 

[WoodyO]

I'm in a bilingual position anyway but when I went to a Walmart in Miami this bish at the register kept addressing me in Spanish even though I'd reply in English every time, made me wonder if she even knew English, then made me wonder if she speaks to coworkers in Spanish around those who dont know Spanish, I can see complaints being filed by paranoids, but not sure what restriction if any can be applied.

You'll see a lot of more stubborn Mexicans (or Hispanics) in CA. A lot of them flat out refuse to speak English. You hear dumb ass comments like "we were here first".

We had a broken sink in the shop a while back, so one of my guys put a sign up saying the water would be off for a while. One of the Spanish dudes came along and wrote another sign in Spanish, then another guy put one up in Vietnamese. Eventually it became a big joke and 10 different languages were up there. I understand people come here from all over the world and don't speak the language, but shit, the water's fucking off. You should be able to pick that one up after being here 2 weeks.

 

[mrplunkey]

Yes, you can enforce an english-only workplace. There are plenty of bona fide business reasons for not allowing a secondary language to be used.

 

[nangiggles]

but can any kind of employer do this? or certain business types?

 

[PICK3]

Speak American bish!

 

[nangiggles]

Speak American bish!

lololol latinos get pissed when you say that, the whole "America is a continent and Peru (or Colmbia or WTF they are from) is part of it so I am an American and I am speaking American, bla, bla, bla" fuck they make me mad

 

[mrplunkey]

but can any kind of employer do this? or certain business types?

You could cite a business reason that it would be impossible to manage your workers without being able to understand all communications.

For example, how would I enforce a Sexual Harassment policy if I didn't know what one person was saying to another? A guy could say: "Your tits look great today! Let me motorboat you!" and I wouldn't know. Similarly if you reported to me that he said that under the policy, how would I know he didn't just say: "Good morning."? For all I know, you may just be trying to get him canned.

 

[nangiggles]

You could cite a business reason that it would be impossible to manage your workers without being able to understand all communications.

For example, how would I enforce a Sexual Harassment policy if I didn't know what one person was saying to another? A guy could say: "Your tits look great today! Let me motorboat you!" and I wouldn't know. Similarly if you reported to me that he said that under the policy, how would I know he didn't just say: "Good morning."? For all I know, you may just be trying to get him canned.

well that makes sense, the whole thing was just a joke but it got me thinking...

 

[PICK3]

You could cite a business reason that it would be impossible to manage your workers without being able to understand all communications.

For example, how would I enforce a Sexual Harassment policy if I didn't know what one person was saying to another? A guy could say: "Your tits look great today! Let me motorboat you!" and I wouldn't know. Similarly if you reported to me that he said that under the policy, how would I know he didn't just say: "Good morning."? For all I know, you may just be trying to get him canned.

Or, he could say "want to go out and grab a salami sammich?"

wtf wood he mean

 

[mrplunkey]

Or, he could say "want to go out and grab a salami sammich?"

wtf wood he mean

He wood mean you've set off his gaydar early and often.

 

[bigmann245]

why not? there are jobs that require a person to be fluent in English AND Spanish in order to be hired. So I would think that if a person is not fluent in English they do not have to hire them. Anyway a lot of states are right to work states and they can hire whomever they want for whatever reason they want.

 

[mrplunkey]

why not? there are jobs that require a person to be fluent in English AND Spanish in order to be hired. So I would think that if a person is not fluent in English they do not have to hire them. Anyway a lot of states are right to work states and they can hire whomever they want for whatever reason they want.

I believe you're referring to employment at will. And technically in these states you can hire and fire anyone you want, but are still subject to a huge number of employment-related laws (i.e. no discrimination, must track applicants, no retribution, must allow protected concerted activity).

Right to work deals with employers not being forced to fire workers who refuse to join unions and pay dues.